On The Steps Of Shibusen
by LieSmithsMistress
Summary: When a brother and sister from Britain land on the steps of Shibusen, what awaits them when they arrive?


Standing on the Shibusen steps, the weight of what was about to happen suddenly crashed over me and I felt sick. Mother was gone; Father couldn't cope with looking at us and seeing her. I wanted to do some good in this life and Kurai didn't want to be here at all.

So here I stood with my little brother and a man in white who constantly has his earphones in and doesn't speak; I've named him 'The Silent One'. Picking up my bags, I walked forward into the lobby of the Death Weapon Meister Academy. The white a black exterior was harsh and didn't prepare me for the noisy courtyard. Teenagers rushed around either fighting or talking or reading. Obviously looking around in awe, Kurai walked straight into me, hard suitcase hitting me on the back of the legs.

"Turn right and go down the corridor, third door on the left, down the stairs, right turn and the door on the end." The sound of the voice made me squeak in surprise and drop my bag. Turning around, I realised it was 'The Silent One', who was now smiling in a smug sort of knowing way. I nodded and turned to head the way I had been told.

As we reached the end of the corridor, the hairs on my arms raised. I was scared. I was starting a new life with old secrets. I was on my own and had a sibling to look after and no idea of what life had in store for me.

The sweet smell of nicotine drifted from under the door. Okay, yeah, I know that smoking isn't healthy, but right now I wanted nothing more than to curl up in a dark corner with a hot cup of tea and a lit cigarette.

Raising my hand, I tentatively knocked on the cold, dark metal, the dull sound resonating down the long stone corridor. A rumbling sound echoed through the door, getting louder by the second before the door swung forward, narrowly missing our faces.

A chair hit the raised threshold and tipped, the chair's occupant barely acknowledging the fact that he was now facing the ceiling or that if he opened his eyes he could probably see up my skirt. I stepped back after registering this fact.

"Aah, the Hing siblings. Delightful, I'm your one-to-one tutor for this semester." His voice was so much younger and softer than his face, which happened to be stitched and he had a bolt through his head. "I'm Professor Stein." His hand shot up to shake ours; I chose the wise option and stepped round him and knelt to do so.

"Kanpeki and this is Kurai." I pointed to my brother who was now leaning over the teacher to shake his hand. "Erm, do you want a hand up?" He looked up at us from the floor, his mouth twisting into a grin, his glasses glinting in the dim light.

"You both have completely opposite wavelengths but you are compatible, how odd." He tried to sit up and fell back down. "Thinking about it, a hand would be helpful. Thanks."

Professor Stein picked up the chair, walked into the room and went to the desk. Shuffling through papers, he flicked his white hair and muttered to himself quietly enough that I couldn't work out what he was saying.

I glanced over to Kurai who was staring at the walls designed with stitches, the light catching his slightly tanned skin and throwing his features into shadow. His green eyes were wide in amazement, roving over the objects on the desks and he looked like a child again, instead of his 19 years to my 21.

I somehow felt bad. I wanted to come here, to learn how to fight, whereas Kurai wanted to continue his academic studies in Music. When Father decided he couldn't cope with us anymore, I was made to bring him with me and look after him. He never wanted this and now he was having it thrust upon him. A sheet of paper appeared in front of me and I recognised it as a timetable.

"There you go, you two. Your schedules, classes begin tomorrow" I looked at Kurai, whose face had lit up.

"I've got Academic Music first tomorrow." He said as we gave our thanks and turned to leave. I looked over my shoulder and saw the teacher smiling and I felt a little less guilty for the fact that Kurai was here by no choice of his own.

'Here goes.' I thought as we entered the courtyard again and began our new lives here in Death City.


End file.
